Hurricane Katrina has battered southern Florida with high winds and heavy rain, leaving at least three people dead before moving out over the Gulf of Mexico.

The 11th named storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season came ashore Thursday between Hallandale Beach and North Miami Beach, packing 130 kilometer-per-hour winds. It knocked down trees, flooded streets and left more than one million people without power.

The U.S. National Weather Service says Katrina temporarily lost some strength early Friday, but regained hurricane status as it moved over the Gulf of Mexico.

Forecasters anticipate the storm will turn north in the Gulf as it strengthens and could strike Florida's panhandle in the coming days.